


Shock

by raptor_moon



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-26
Updated: 2012-03-26
Packaged: 2017-11-02 13:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptor_moon/pseuds/raptor_moon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tracking down an unsub leaves a team member in peril</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shock

They knew they only had a limited amount of time.  The unsub liked to create elaborate devices that would continue to torture his victims, killing them remotely while he was safely ensconced miles away.  Garcia had tracked down his location, but he had committed suicide by cop before he revealed the location of the final victim.

 

Working the geographic profile, Spencer had pinpointed the victim’s whereabouts and the team rushed to the site. Prentiss and Reid reached the site first, and could hear screams emanating from the house.  The second SUV arrived to disgorge Morgan, Rossi and Hotch as Emily announced their presence and nodded for Reid to try the door.

 

_Pain raced up his arm, across his chest, and down his leg and fire blossomed in his heart._

_He remembered stepping onto the welcome mat and touching the doorknob._

_Now voices raced around him._

“Reid!”

 

“What the hell happened?”

 

“I think the door’s electrified!”

 

“Is he ok?”

 

“I can’t find a pulse.”

 

A scream rends the air. 

 

“The victim is still trapped inside; we need to get her out before whatever the device is there kills her.”

 

 “Start CPR.” Hotch stated as he pulled out his phone to dial 911. “Assume the house is booby-trapped and approach with caution.” His attention switched to his phone, as he relayed information to emergency services.

 

 

_Why was someone jumping on his chest?  That hurt, he couldn’t breathe properly with that going on.  And why was he lying down when there was work to do.  Wait, Emily said no pulse and Hotch said CPR.  “Am I dead” he wondered.  The brain will continue to function until cells die from oxygen starvation.  The purpose of CPR is to get oxygenated blood to the brain to stave off brain death.  “I’m not dead, but I am dying.” Reid thought.  “The door was wired and the shock has stopped my heart. Emily must be doing CPR.  I wish I could open my eyes…”_

A check of the house for more traps led to Morgan entering through a small bathroom window, the only entrance which was unguarded.  He was able to disconnect the electrical wiring to the door and Hotch and Rossi entered the building.  The three men stared at the torture contraption.  How to free the victim without killing her?

 

“Boy, we sure could use Reid now to figure this out.” The though slipped out before Morgan could stop it.  Reid lay dying on the sidewalk out front.  The odds of surviving, even with CPR were low.  The chance that he would be resuscitated this time was slim. 

 

_“The team should cut the power to the house.  That should at least stop the more dangerous AC current from flowing. I wish I could tell them.” Reid wondered if being this aware of his own death was normal, and if he would remember any of this if he survived.  He felt something splash his face.  Was it raining? Emily wouldn’t cry…_

 

Hotch spoke up.  “The circuit breaker panel is probably in the basement.  I’ll cut power, then you only need to look for and disconnect from batteries.”

 

By the time he returned upstairs, Morgan and Rossi were assisting the victim towards the door.  They exited the building and rushed downstairs.  Morgan and Rossi assisted the victim to the SUV while Hotch went to Emily.  She looked up with tears in her eyes.”

 

“Take a break.”

 

“But he’s still not…”

 

“My turn.” Hotch took over on chest compressions.  When he reached 30 he paused for Emily to breathe for Reid.

 

_Did he hear them bringing the victim out?  At least she was safe then. The pressure on his chest paused for moment, and Spencer felt the darkness spreading, then it resumed with a vengeance.  Crack! Spencer felt his ribs break as the pounding continued. When it paused again, the felt Emily’s hair fall across his face as her lips brushed his, then air was pushed into his lungs. Then the elephant stepped on his chest again.  Hotch pushed harder than Emily.  He heard Morgan in the distance.  At least he could take comfort in that he was surrounded by his friends as he died.  He always feared dying alone._

“Where the hell is that ambulance?”  Morgan paced angrily back and forth checking his watch.  Too many times had Spencer rambled off the statistics for CPR and response time.  He knew with every passing minute Reid’s slim chances fell even further.

 

In the distance, the wailing of a siren could be heard.  As it became louder, the team allowed themselves to hope.

 

“Come on, hang on just a little longer.”

 

The EMTs swarmed out of the ambulance, and got straight to work.  The team fell back and held onto each other for support.

 

_Charging…Clear! Current was sent across his heart and Spencer felt fire erupt across his chest.  But in the absence of pain was…nothing.  No pulse, increasing the charge, charging…clear! The pain seemed less this time.  His heart wasn’t restarting.  He figured this was goodbye.  He could hear Morgan swearing.  Increasing the charge, charging, clear!  Fire erupted again, but this time was different, it seared and then decreased to a dull ache…thump, thump, thump.  Spencer could feel his heart beating painfully in his chest and a sudden urge to gasp for breath.  The inhalation made shooting pains radiate from his broken ribs.  He coughed.  His eyes fluttered open._

Hotch released the breath he had been holding.  Reid was alive.  They watched as the paramedics bundled him into the ambulance and departed to the hospital.  A second ambulance arrived to take the victim in for examination.  The adrenaline of action was being slowly replaced with the numbness of shock as the realization of how close they came to losing their youngest member again hit home.  Aaron herded his team back to the SUV.  Before completing paperwork and heading to their respective homes, they would reassure themselves that Spencer was truly ok at the hospital.


End file.
